News Release - Community Responds to Midtown Naming Suggestions

City of Rochester

News Release

(Thursday, April 3, 2014) – Mayor Lovely A. Warren announced that the City has received an overwhelmingly positive response regarding the suggested names for the street and the open space area at the Midtown Rising development site.

“The hundreds of suggestions we received clearly demonstrate that people have fond and special memories about this part of Rochester and we are excited to see what comes next,” said Mayor Warren. “I wish to thank everyone for their participation in this fun project.”

More than 300 responses were received – and the vast majority of suggestions related to Midtown’s past including references to the Clock of Nations, the monorail, the Manhattan Restaurant, Magic Mountain, McCurdy’s, Forman’s and the architect Victor Gruen.

The City received suggestions for naming the areas after pets and children. Others showed an even more creative flair: • Garbage Plate Alley • Tweedledee Plaza and Tweedledum Street • Rattlesnake Pete Place • Feels So Good Street (an homage to Chuck Mangione) • Meet-Me-At-The-Lane • Young Lion Way (a reference to Rochester’s former glory as the Young Lion of the East) • Champs Elysee

The Midtown Rising implementation team solicited suggestions from the public to name the new street and plaza created by the redevelopment of the Midtown site from March 13-31. The new street will begin at East Main Street opposite the Liberty Pole and run south to Elm St. and the plaza is a .58 acre parcel that lies between S. Clinton Ave. (next to the Windstream building) and the new street. The new plaza is designed to be used for events and everyday enjoyment by Downtown residents, workers and visitors. It includes seating areas, a paved plaza, a lawn area and a grove of trees.

An internal City Hall committee made up of members of the departments of Communications, Environmental Services, Law and Neighborhood and Business Development and the City Historian were convened to review the list; and have been given the task of making a recommendation from the list of suggestions received from the public.

After the required right of way review by 911, the suggested name for the street and the plaza will be sent to the Planning Commission for consideration at the May 12 meeting, and submitted to City Council for action at their May 20 meeting. It is anticipated that the street and parking garage will open by the end of May.